New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1887-05-18


sardines on thisplece of brown bread. =
She held out her mug for coffee, which
was coldiso that its aroma might not
penetrate the nostrils OF the watch
full teacher referred to as s.Prisms."
and oon5alli were fairly at work upon
the edibles. When Ben had finished her
first course, and was reaching for q
liberal piece, OF raisin cake, she said,
ssolemnly:
Girls, have the most astonishing
and wildly interesting thing to tellyou
that you ever. heard. No novel could
be stranger or more thrilling! But I
am so.tiredI Oh, how my back and
neck did ache! And it seemed as if nv
feet would come off!
And Ben pat in large mouthful OF
Cake and relapsed into silence, which in
two seconds became UNDESIRABLE to her
companions.
Come, tell us!''
DO let us hear itnf
s'What can it be?':
Has the housekeeper discharged
the eook?" said Florence Healey,.
laughing.
Ben turned suddenly upon her.
''No; but Miss Lou Brown has dis
charged Professor Charles"
She turned back to get the effect of
her stunning announce on the room
full of girls, SO she did not see the pale
ness that overspread the beautiful
face of her interlocutor, and laughed
gleefully at the chorus ofexclamations
that came from the wondering girls.
mo! Really? How do you know?"
Chow do know? Ishould think
ought to- know; heard itH'
t'Heard it? Ooh! You heard itW
Ben was composedly selecting a large
piece Of preserved ginger from the jar,
which combined with sponge cake with
evident satisfaction, and, as her mouth
was full, she merely NODDED impressive
~.
The girls were in a huttrr of impa-
tient curiosity, but Florence Healey
said, in a low voice:
ben, II you haye by accident heard
what was not intended for your ears,
is it honorable to tell it to any one?''
THAT is just what l am thinking
about" responded the tricksy sprite,
graYely. There was howl Of disap-
pointment from ten of the "Mystic
Twelve ''It would not be quite
right ordinarily
Hope began to glimmer again.
"But, you see, we are bound by our
oath to repose perfect confidence in
each other, are we not?"
She looked inquiringlv around.
"Of course we are. Solemnly bound!
Indeed we are! Yes!" came an eager
rush of voices.
"Still,'' unused the young lady,
choosing a chocolate cream with scru-
pulous care, "that may hold only up
on matters per- aining strictly to our
selves"
"Ben, you are real mean, if you
don't tell us, after all this!" protested
Kitty Glazier.
Florence Healey said nothing, per-
haps because she saw that Ben fully
intended to relate her adventure after
sufficiently arousing the curiosity OF
her friends, and possibly because she
herself had an interest in the disclos-
ure which overpowered her ideas of
honorable reticence upon another's
secret
"But," said Ben, as a rebuttal,
"this is something which may
seriously affect any one Of
us"-the excitement grew intense
$50 shall wave my scruples and
tell it-but under perfect secrecy,
mind! Well" began Ben, hoist
my herself with some difficulty upon
the curved top Of large trunk, seyou
see, when we came up from prayers, I
happened to think that little Sneaky
Palmer would go into the fourth reel
tat1on room to get her music. So, as |
had for some time been intending to
punish her for going back on me to
Professor Charles, in the philosophy
class, one day, | just slid In there in
the dark and crept in behind 'Skelly,'
who hangs SO sweetly by her skull in
the small cupboard"
ooh, Ben! How could you? 1
could not do it if it was to save nv
life, . shuddered Fan Kendall.
That S just it," said Ben, bending
a calm eye upon her; neither could
sneaky Palmer. She was afraid of
her shadow. So l meant to rattle
the bones of the late French lady, !
whose usefulness continues after death
as an adjunct to the physiology class,
just click her toes together, youknow,
and moan. How Sneaky Palmer
would have rum" Ben beamed in en-
joyment of what might have been. but
suddenly became grave again. In
stead of which, when heard some one
comeln, and was just about to give a
dismal groan, I fortunately peeped
through the curtains and saw Miss
Brown. She came and sat down, rest
ing her face on her hands. Then
thought would come out and con-
TESS my base intention, for Lou never
scolds, you know"
Dear LouI She is more like a sister
than a teacher. =
Lou is only twenty five, murmur-
ed Florence Healey. from her place in
the shadow of the bureau.
Well, as said, l was just coming
out, when in walked Professor Charles.
And girls, he did look too handsome